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Hello friends, I am Dr Gaurav Khera. I am an orthopaedic surgeon, doing joint replacements and spine surgeries at the Access healthcare. Now today I will be talking about the lumbar degenerative disc disease. Now it sounds very big, but it is not as complicated as it sounds. It basically is what you people commonly know as a disc disease. So it is a fairly common problem that is seen in our population today. In fact about 30 or 40% of the patients who come to our OPD have lower back pains, some have other disc problems and very commonly seen after 40 years of age and this incidence gradually increases up to 60-70 years of age. The other ecological factors which are associated with this are, first of all smoking, secondly it is, mild to moderate trauma, thirdly its seen in people who lift heavy weights, fourth is obesity, especially central obesity, that is if you have a very heavy waistline.

Now what is Lumbar degenerative disc disease? Now, our spine is composed of multiple bones, which are starting from your neck and they come all the way down to your hip, divided into the cervical, dorsal, lumbar and sacral spine. And between these bones, there are these small pieces of discs, which act as cushions. When your body walks, these act as shock absorbers between your body’s bones. Now this discs, when these come out of their normal place, it gives or presses against the nerves which are passing through these areas and it causes pain. This is what happens in the disc disease. Basically, in the patient it will come as a lower back pain, and this pain will be travelling down to the hip, and it will also be coming down to the legs. Some people complain that as they walk, the pain increases.

They also complain of tinglingnumbness. They complain that sometimes their fingers or their toes are feeling numb. These are some of the very common symptoms which are being seen. Few people may have only lower back pain, and these are the people who do not have very significant disc disease. Now there are two main causes of the disc disease. First is an inflammatory reaction that occurs in the disc, and second is the micro motion instabilities that occur. Inflammatory reactions may occur as a result of some small traumas which may occur such as when you may injure your back. Such inflammatory reactions occur in the form of small swellings in the body. And micro motion instabilities are when the body ages, the disc which has an outer fibrous thick layer, that degenerates, and as it degenerates, the pulp which is there at the centre, of the discs, tends to degenerate. What I mean is it comes out of its normal space. And as it comes out of the normal place, it comes and tends to press on the nerves and these are the two most common causes.

All disc patients are not to be operated. When we get these patients, the first and foremost investigation that we do is a X-Ray. And if required, we go in for a MRI. Frankly MRI is the known standard to diagnose the disc disease. The findings of a MRI are always coordinated with the clinical findings. Once we have diagnosed that it is a disc problem, we have to establish that what the compression on the nerves is. If the nerve compression is a lot, and if we think that we cannot do anything other than surgery, then we take the patient for a surgery.

If not, we take the patient fro physiotherapy, lifestyle changes and few medications. These medications may carry on for few weeks to few months. And a lot of exercise has to be carried on regularly. Lifestyle changes such as weight loss, stoppage of smoking is very important. And if you can achieve this, then your problems are very easily solved. If you have any queries regarding your disc problems or back pains, then you can get in touch with me for the same.

You can reach me in my clinic, which is there in Indrapuri, by the name of Dr Khera’s Wellness Clinic or you can also contact me through Lybrate for the same. Thank You.

Hello, friends, I am Dr. Gaurav Khera I am a consultant orthopedic surgeon joint replacements and spine. Today I will be talking to you about total knee replacement. Knee replacement is the most common surgery which is being done these days it is also a surgery which has got a lot of bad name to it because of a few complications that are associated a few myths which are associated. I'd like to clear all those out today.

Before I start talking about knee replacements I would like to tell you something about the anatomy of the knee joint. (Displaying knee model) now this is the knee joint knee joint is a type of a hinge joint, a modified hinge joint, it has three compartments, it has the middle or the inner compartment the lateral or the outer compartment and the patella femoral compartment. now what basically happens in osteoarthritis that is the reason why we do a total knee replacement is that the joint it starts to age or it starts to degenerate, and as the joint degenerates this blue coloured cartilage cover it starts to go away, as the cartilage cover goes the joint tries to recover from this degeneration process and in doing so in the repetitive process these osteophytes which are like bony specules they are formed, now these bony spicules as they are getting formed they start pinching into the surrounding tissues, surrounding tissue means the ligaments, basically 4 ligaments are in the joint 2 of which are inside and 2 of which are outside. the outside ones are the lateral and the middle collateral ligament and the inner other anterior and posterior cruciate ligament now the first ligament to get involved is the medial collateral ligament which is on the inner aspect of the knee joint and there is tightening of this ligament which takes place as the recommend gets tightened this middle compartment it starts to tighten up and there is further rubbing of these bones as these bones are out this blue cartilage it goes away and the bone gets exposed and the raw bone Easter surfaces they rub against each other causing severe excruciating pain.

The patients come to us then they complain of pain when they are going up and down stairs they complain of funny sounds which are coming, they complain of difficulty and squatting difficulty in cross leg sitting. so this is the reason why you get all these pains. now Osteoarthritis is not the only reason why were doing knee replacements. knee replacements are also being done father causes like hemophilia, septic arthritis, septic arthritis means infections. a few other causes like imposed tuberculosis, again its an infection. now there are two types of knee replacement surgeries which are being don,e one is the unicondyler knee replacement and one is the total knee replacement, a unicondyler knee replacement what we do is we change only the middle aspect of the joint or the inner aspect of the joint and in total knee replacement we change the entire joint. now changing of the joint does not mean that we remove the bone from the top and bottom and we just put in a new knee, basically were just changing the damage surface so this is the model of a knee replacement surgery.

Basically there seven cuts which is involved in a total knee replacement the main cut being the table cut and the other cuts are the femoral cuts now the femoral cuts are again you know the distal anterior posterior the chamfer the box so once these cuts are done this is how the femur of the knee joint looks like of the implant. this is then fitted onto these cuts with the help of a bone cement and on the tibia we put a tibial plate which is again fixed with a cement and then we put a insert. the size of the cuts and the amount of bone which is being cut is generally decided inter operatively. the types of implants which are being used are different, the types of implants vary we have patient-specific implantations we have computerized implantations you know in which we can do computerised cuts during the surgery and we have high flex knees we have normal needs so huge variety of things which are coming. now coming to rehabilitation process after the surgery the rehabilitation process for you as a patient is the most important, see normally the patient requires two to three months to recover after the knee replacement.

We make the patient walk after 24 to 48 hours .now the reason why we are making you walk so early is so that we can get your knee to start moving we can prevent complications like DVT and we can start your physiotherapy for muscle strengthening as soon as possible. your physiotherapy will continue for at least two months after the surgery and you will be able to lead a completely normal life that is hardly any activity which is going to be restricted after your surgery, you can go for your cycling you can go for your mountaineering you can go for your running you can go for your walks, we will only advise you not to be squatting and not to be cross leg sitting other than these you will be allowed to do all other activities. the complication rates of the surgery has come down tremendously. about 10 years back the complication rates were much higher now the complication rates have really come down that is because the most common complication is infection. now infection the methods which we are using in this surgery they are better antiseptic methods that we are using, there are better barriers which are there in the hospital, better antibiotics so infection rates have come down. the other thing is the failure of the implants there is a much better understanding of how the knees functioning, there is a much better understanding of what the soft tissue balancing is required. so all these complications have really come down so I would advise you that

If you are really suffering from a lot of knee problem if you’re having to take a lot of painkillers if youre not being able to do your daily activity then you should get in touch with us and you start thinking of a knee replacement surgery. you can contact me and come and meet me at my clinic at dr Kheras wellness clinic, I am here everyday in the evening from 6 to 9. I am also available at Apollo spectra hospital, you can call text or video chat with me through Lybrate. Thank you.

Personal Statement

To provide my patients with the highest quality healthcare, I'm dedicated to the newest advancements and keep up-to-date with the latest health care technologies....more

To provide my patients with the highest quality healthcare, I'm dedicated to the newest advancements and keep up-to-date with the latest health care technologies.

More about Dr. Gaurav Khera

He has over 13 years of experience as a Orthopedist. He has completed MBBS, Diploma In Orthopaedics (D. Ortho ) and DNB in Orthopaedics. He did his Mch in Orthopaedics from university of Seychelles under American institute of medicine . You can book an instant appointment online with Dr. Gaurav Khera on Lybrate.com.

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Mar 7, 2017

I have consulted so many doctors , but no one was able to solve my slip disc. I thought it was something very normal, but then I realised the slip disc is something else. He is a very practical doctor. Hygiene is very important, and I must say Access Healthcare was extremely clean.Dr. Gaurav Khera has expert knowledge in the field. I remember, I read an article of Gaurav Khera in the paper and made contact. The waiting area in the Access Healthcare is very comfortable for elderly patients.

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Apr 26, 2017

I was panicked, because I never thought I will suffer from joint pain like this. He is not just friendly, but also is very motivating. It was an amazing experience as everyone in the Access Healthcare is so nice. I was amazed that other doctors before him were not able to even diagnose my problem, but Dr Khera did it immediately and started the joint pain treatment for it. I am so happy that I chose this Gaurav Khera for my treatment as now I am perfectly fine.

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May 12, 2017

The symptoms were severe and unmanageable, as I was suffering from muscle cramps, but Dr Gaurav Khera was able to handle it. Many people gave very positive feedback for him. Gaurav Khera has a very positive attitude towards all the patients. He is not just highly qualified, but has years of experience in handling high risk cases. I am so much benefitted with his muscle cramps treatment, that i am perfectly fine now.

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Jun 21, 2017

As someone I knew, consulted Dr Khera and they referred us. He is not just friendly, but also is very motivating. he did my knee care. Everything was just spick and span in the Access Healthcare. I was quite depressed due to my condition, but my Gaurav Khera guided me to change my attitude. I am so happy that I chose him for my treatment as now I am perfectly fine.

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Aug 22, 2017

It's been more than a year that I was experiencing leg pain. I thought it was something very normal, but then I realised the leg pain is something else. Dr Khera ensures that he gives enough time to each patient. I must say the hygiene was maintained very nicely in the Access Healthcare. In order to diagnose my problem completely he asked me a number of questions.

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Aug 16, 2017

I was suffering from knee pain. Someone from the office, referred Dr Gaurav Khera. Even though my problem was very big, the entire experience of undergoing knee pain treatment was very relaxing. He is very professional and is a really patient listene. I was quite impressed with his concept of holistic healing.

Verified

May 26, 2017

Sir is polite with patient, and freely talking with patient,v r happy,when I admited my aunty she was in bad condition,after treatments she feeling good,thanks to Doctor Kumar sir.

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The spinal cord is such a crucial part of the body, and an injury to it can really change people’s lives for the worse. After all, controlling our movements, our sense of feeling and directing the limbs, among other things, makes it so very important. It does happen sometimes that injury to it requires surgery. Isn’t the prospect of the surgery going wrong quite a scary one?

For decades, whenever surgery to the spine was required, the surgeon needed to cut open the skin covering the spine as well as some extra skin, perhaps to see what needed to be done and then go ahead and carry out what was actually required. What this basically meant is that surgery resulted in more damage to the muscles and skin. This led to people taking longer to recover.

Most of the injuries that surgeons who specialise in surgeries of the spine comes across are decompressions and fusion of the spine. While the old style open surgery was popular, it is good to know minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is a possibility since it is spreading across the medical world and makes so much sense.

So, what can a person look forward to while having an MISS, as compared to the conventional kind? When it comes to MISS, the incisions which have to be made in most of the cases are very small. Generally, they should not be longer than a few inches. The reason why they need to be made is so that the equipment can be inserted into the body and so can a camera so that the surgeon can see what he or she is doing with sufficient amount of accuracy. Moreover, since the incision is small, the blood loss is less and the scar on the patient’s body is also small.

Well, the best part is that it will take far less time for the patient to get up and running again. The return to activities, which were part and parcel of one’s daily routine, will take a lot less time. This also means that the medical costs which one would need to bear would be lower as a person would be able to move back home from the hospital a lot sooner than would normally be the case.

Considering this, there is not much to “MISS” about the era of open surgery! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.

Along with bones, the human structure is also supported by cartilage. Cartilage is a tough, flexible tissue that acts as a cushion between bones at joints. Some parts of the body such as the outer structure of the ear is completely made up of cartilage. Damage to the cartilage can cause pain. inflammation and in some cases even a degree of disability. Since cartilage does not have a blood supply, cartilage damage takes longer to heal than other injuries.

There are three main causes of cartilage damage

Direct impact: Cartilage can get damaged by heavy impact during a bad fall or an accident. For this reason, sportspersons have a high risk of suffering from cartilage damage.

Wear and tear: Over time, joint experiences wear and tear that can damage cartilage. The knees are often most affected by this. Obese people are at a higher risk of knee cartilage injury than others because of the additional pressure being out on the knees.

Lack of movement: Long periods of immobility or inactiveness can also cause damage to cartilage.

A physical examination may not be enough to diagnose cartilage damage as the symptoms of this condition are very similar to that of a sprain or ligament damage. In addition to a physical examination, a doctor may use Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or Arthroscopy. An MRI uses radio waves and a magnetic field to create a detailed image of the body. Arthroscopy involves the insertion of a tube-like instrument into the joint to determine the extent of cartilage injury.

Treatment for cartilage damage is both surgical and non-surgical.
Non-surgical treatment includes exercises, steroid injections and physical therapy.
If the patient does not respond well to this form of treatment, surgical options may be looked at. The type of surgery required depends on the age and activity level of the patient along with the extent of the injury.

Some of the surgical options include:

Debridement: This involves using a small arthroscopic instrument to smoothen the damaged cartilage and remove loose edges. This prevents the cartilage from rubbing against adjacent bone and muscle tissue.

Marrow stimulation: By drilling small holes under the damaged cartilage, the surgeon exposes blood vessels that lie inside the bone and trigger the formation of a blood clot. This, in turn, triggers the development of new cartilage.

Mosaicplasty: This procedure involves the transference of healthy cartilage from one part of the body to another. It is used for isolated cases of cartilage injury on patients who are below the age of 50. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.

Damaged hips can cause great distress in carrying out daily activities, such as walking, getting dressed and many more. If you have damaged one or both of your hips, and it causes you great pain, you may require a hip replacement. It is a common form of surgery in which a damaged hip joint gets replaced with an artificial one. This is known as prosthesis.

Conditions which lead to hip replacement

Osteoporosis where the cartilage inside a hip joint gets worn out, and the bones rub with each other as a result

The purpose of a replaced hip joint is to provide pain relief, improve the hip’s function, improve your ability to carry out day-to-day activities and improve your overall quality of life.

Procedure
A hip replacement is usually carried out under general anesthesia. An incision is made in the hip by the surgeon and the damaged hip joint is removed through it. It is replaced with an artificial metal alloy or a ceramic joint. The surgery takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes for completion.

Recovery
After the surgery, a walking aid such as crutches is required for up to four to six weeks. You may enroll for an exercise program, which aims at regaining and improving the new hip joint functions. Regular activities can be restored within two to three months. A year is required for utilizing the new hip joint normally.

Risks of hip replacement
There may be several complications as a result of a hip replacement. They include:

Alternative
Hip replacement surgery has an alternative type of surgery, which is called hip resurfacing. During this surgery, the damaged surfaces of the bones within the hip joint are removed and replaced with a metal surface. Less bone is removed in this surgery. However, the metal surface may cause complications and health hazards.

Hip replacement is being improved upon with the advent of technology. Stronger and newer materials are being developed for prosthetics, which will allow enhanced joint mobility and a longer wear. New cement-less implants are also being developed. Also surgery assisted by computer is being used for generating an image of the hip joint. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Orthopedist.

Tendinitis is a discomfort of the tendon. It results in pain outside the joint. There are many tendons in the body, but this condition is mainly witnessed in wrists, heels, shoulders and elbows. Some frequently used names for different kinds of tendinitis includes pitcher’s shoulder, tennis elbow, jumper’s knee, golfer’s elbow and swimmer’s shoulder.

Symptoms of tendinitis:
Symptoms of tendinitis are witnessed at the point of contact between bone and the muscle. Some of the visible signs of tendinitis are tenderness, swelling and a dull ache while moving the affected joint. Even constant pain can be felt in some cases.

What are the causes of tendinitis?
Tendinitis is frequently observed among sportsmen and athletes. If a job involves repetitive motion of a particular joint, the stress on the tendons can result in tendinitis. It is therefore very important for sportsmen to use the right technique in order to refrain from tendon related problems. Sudden accidents can also result in an injury to the tendon.

Risk factor of tendinitis:
Risk factors for this condition include job, occupation, and sports. As a person gets older, tendons tend to lose their flexibility which can lead to an injury of the tendon. If the job of a person involves frequent reaching of the overhead, vibration, repetitive motion and forceful exertion, he might face an injury to the tendon resulting in tendinitis. Last but not the least, tendinitis is very common among players who are involved in sports such as basketball, tennis, golf, baseball, running , cricket and bowling.

What are the complications involved?
Tendinitis can aggravate to tendon rupture of proper treatment is not done on time. Tendon rupture needs a surgical procedure to fix. If tendon pain lasts for few weeks at stretch, there is a good chance that the condition has turned into tendinitis.

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis of tendinitis can be done with the physical exam itself. A doctor might want to look at an X-ray scan to negate other condition that might be causing the pain.

Treatment:Treatment includes the prescription of pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and aspirin. Tropical creams can also be prescribed to relieve the pain. Doctors often suggest corticosteroids be injected along the tendon in order to relieve tendinitis. If the condition is not very serious, a doctor might suggest specific exercise such as eccentric strengthening to fix the condition.

If the condition is severe, the doctor might want to go for a surgical procedure to fix tendinitis. Especially in conditions where there is a tear in the tendon and the bone. Another invasive technique to treat tendinitis is the focused aspiration of scar tissue. This procedure is performed under anesthesia thereby causing less pain to the patient. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopaedic.

Hello friends, I am Dr Gaurav Khera. I am an orthopaedic surgeon, doing joint replacements and spine surgeries at the Access healthcare. Now today I will be talking about the lumbar degenerative disc disease. Now it sounds very big, but it is not as complicated as it sounds. It basically is what you people commonly know as a disc disease. So it is a fairly common problem that is seen in our population today. In fact about 30 or 40% of the patients who come to our OPD have lower back pains, some have other disc problems and very commonly seen after 40 years of age and this incidence gradually increases up to 60-70 years of age. The other ecological factors which are associated with this are, first of all smoking, secondly it is, mild to moderate trauma, thirdly its seen in people who lift heavy weights, fourth is obesity, especially central obesity, that is if you have a very heavy waistline.

Now what is Lumbar degenerative disc disease? Now, our spine is composed of multiple bones, which are starting from your neck and they come all the way down to your hip, divided into the cervical, dorsal, lumbar and sacral spine. And between these bones, there are these small pieces of discs, which act as cushions. When your body walks, these act as shock absorbers between your body’s bones. Now this discs, when these come out of their normal place, it gives or presses against the nerves which are passing through these areas and it causes pain. This is what happens in the disc disease. Basically, in the patient it will come as a lower back pain, and this pain will be travelling down to the hip, and it will also be coming down to the legs. Some people complain that as they walk, the pain increases.

They also complain of tinglingnumbness. They complain that sometimes their fingers or their toes are feeling numb. These are some of the very common symptoms which are being seen. Few people may have only lower back pain, and these are the people who do not have very significant disc disease. Now there are two main causes of the disc disease. First is an inflammatory reaction that occurs in the disc, and second is the micro motion instabilities that occur. Inflammatory reactions may occur as a result of some small traumas which may occur such as when you may injure your back. Such inflammatory reactions occur in the form of small swellings in the body. And micro motion instabilities are when the body ages, the disc which has an outer fibrous thick layer, that degenerates, and as it degenerates, the pulp which is there at the centre, of the discs, tends to degenerate. What I mean is it comes out of its normal space. And as it comes out of the normal place, it comes and tends to press on the nerves and these are the two most common causes.

All disc patients are not to be operated. When we get these patients, the first and foremost investigation that we do is a X-Ray. And if required, we go in for a MRI. Frankly MRI is the known standard to diagnose the disc disease. The findings of a MRI are always coordinated with the clinical findings. Once we have diagnosed that it is a disc problem, we have to establish that what the compression on the nerves is. If the nerve compression is a lot, and if we think that we cannot do anything other than surgery, then we take the patient for a surgery.

If not, we take the patient fro physiotherapy, lifestyle changes and few medications. These medications may carry on for few weeks to few months. And a lot of exercise has to be carried on regularly. Lifestyle changes such as weight loss, stoppage of smoking is very important. And if you can achieve this, then your problems are very easily solved. If you have any queries regarding your disc problems or back pains, then you can get in touch with me for the same.

You can reach me in my clinic, which is there in Indrapuri, by the name of Dr Khera’s Wellness Clinic or you can also contact me through Lybrate for the same. Thank You.

If you suffer from persistent backaches and neck pain, you may be diagnosed with spondylitis. Spondylitis refers to degenerative changes of the spine, such as the formation of bone spurs and degeneration of spinal discs. This condition can affect the neck, upper or mid back and lower back. Of these, spondylitis of the neck- cervical spondylitis and lower back- lumbar spondylitis are most common.

Spondylitis is considered to be triggered by age. As a person grows older, the wear and tear of the bones and ligaments of the spinal column can lead to the development of bone spurs and osteoarthritis. Age can also cause the discs between vertebrae to weaken and degenerate leading to bulging discs and herniating spinal discs. Most people experience the first symptoms of spondylitis between the age of 20 and 50. A family history of spondylitis and being prone to injuries also increases a person’s risk of suffering from spondylitis.

Since spondylitis is a degenerative disease, there is no cure for this condition. However, the pain associated with it can be managed. Thus, treatment for spondylitis is very similar to treatment for neck or back pain. This treatment can be in the form of pain medication, exercise, physical therapy and minimally invasive surgery. Depending on the extent of spinal damage the doctor may prescribe steroids that need to be injected directly into the intervertebral spaces. This is also known as epidural injections.

Spondylitis patients are often advised to follow their normal schedule and refrain from bed rest as this can prolong recovery. However, at the same time, you should not undertake any activity that puts additional pressure or stress on the spinal column. Alternating between warm and cold compresses can help relieve the pain associated with spondylitis. Additionally, try sleeping with a pillow between your legs to relieve low back pain.

Special pillows that offer cervical support can help relieve spondylitis of the neck.

Surgery may be considered in cases where this condition causes or worsens nerve damage. Spinal decompression surgery involves relieving pressure on the nerves in the spinal column that may be caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis. This surgery can be performed through a laminectomy, discectomy or foraminotomy. Bone spurs in the spinal column or a vertebral disc can also be removed surgically. However, these surgeries are rarely performed as most patients respond well to non-surgical treatments. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.

The human hand is made up of 27 bones and a number of tendons and ligaments. An injury to any one of these bones or a disease that affects the bones and ligaments can make you experience excruciating pain in your hands. This pain can affect your ability to perform simple day to day tasks like holding a spoon or writing. Some common reasons your hand may pain are muscle strains, fractures, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Apart from pain relieving medication, there are a number of ways you can deal with this pain.

Hot and cold compresses: Hot and cold therapy is ideal for any type of muscle or ligament injury. A cold compress helps in reducing the pain and inflammation by constricting blood vessels and numbing the area. On the other hand, a hot compress dilates blood vessels and increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area. Ideally, the two should be used alternatively for 10 to 20 minutes each. A bag of frozen vegetables or ice wrapped in a towel makes an easy cold compress. To treat your hand with heat, use a moist heating pad or a hot water bottle. You could also dip your hands in warm water.

Massage: A massage is a great way to treat hand pain that results from carpal tunnel syndrome. If the exact cause of pain is not known, massage the entire hand, wrist and forearm. A massage enhances blood flow to the area and hence improves flexibility and opens locked tendons. Using a few drops of essential oils such as lavender or rosemary can also aid in relieving hand pain.

Hand exercises: If your work involves repetitive actions like typing, knitting or embroidery, the muscles in your hand can get locked into position thereby, causing pain and discomfort. To relieve this it is important to take a break from this repetitive exercise every hour and flex your hand. Try bending your fingers forwards and backwards and rotating your wrists in both directions to ensure that your joints remain smooth.

Epsom salt water bath: For instant relief from intense hand pain, soak your hands in a bath made of hot water and epsom salts for 10 to 20 minutes. Follow this by wrapping your hands in a warm, wet washcloth and applying gentle pressure over the hand for 5-10 minutes. You should instantly feel relief from the pain and experience increased the flexibility of hand. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.

Even though we have 206 bones in our bodies, breaking just one is enough to bring our daily lives to a standstill. A partial or complete break in a bone is termed as a fracture. While minor fractures can heal in as little as 6 weeks major fractures can take 3-4 months to heal properly. In cases of complex fractures, you may need physical therapy even after this time period to get back complete mobility. Hence patience is essential when a fracture is healing, but here are a few tips on how to speed up the process.

Increase your protein intake: Proteins are essential for the healing and repairing of damage to bones and tissues. Proteins also give the bone structure its strength, Hence, depriving the body of adequate protein will result in the formation of soft bones rather than hard, strong bones. This prevents a bone from fracturing in the same place again.

Have a diet rich in antioxidants: Inflammation is one of the first symptoms of a fracture. This inflammation can continue for many days after the incident and until the inflammation reduces, healing cannot take place properly. Antioxidants help rid toxins from the body and help reduce inflammation thereby initiating the healing process. Antioxidants can also help relieve pain.

Exercise: While you must take care not to apply too much pressure on the affected area it is essential to move the limb as much as possible. Being active promotes blood flow and in this way speeds up the healing process.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine: In most cases, a doctor will prescribe pain relievers to deal with the pain of a fracture. Under no circumstances should you consume alcohol when taking these medications. Even after the antibiotic course is over it is a good idea to abstain from alcohol as this can increase inflammation. Similarly, caffeine and all caffeinated products should also be avoided as they contain compounds that can prevent calcium from being absorbed.

Have an alkaline diet: Having an alkaline diet with lots of fruits and vegetables helps stabilise the pH levels of the body and conserves minerals and proteins needed to build strong bones. In this way, it creates the optimal environment for healing. An alkaline diet also increases the production of growth hormones and other growth factors like IGF insulin in the body. These are crucial to speeding up the healing process and aid in new bone formation. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.

Hello lybrate-user. Back and generalised back pains are commonly caused due to low vit d levels I would suggest that you take a Vit test and increase dietary products like milk and milk products such as paneer and cheese. Also sea food like fish is good for you. You can also take Vit supplements available as sachets and capsules.

Human bones are continuously being removed and formed, which is necessary for its proper maintenance. However, in certain cases, especially with aging, some bones and joints will be worn down to an extent where the body will not be able to reform them. This is especially true in the case of hips, which may become worn due to age or other problems within the body.

Hip replacement surgery:
When this happens, a hip replacement surgery can be performed to replace the original joints with a prosthesis or artificial hip, which is usually made out of metal or a specially formed composite material or even a combination of the two. Along with other parts, it replaces the natural hip with an artificial hip to restore mobility and other related functions.

Benefits of hip replacement surgery:

Lessening hip pain: This is one of the major factors as well as symptoms of requiring hip replacement surgery. Due to the grinding down of the bones, even the slightest movement causes pain and after the surgery and the recovery period, the pain is lessened.

Correction of bone deformity: When the bones grind down and are abnormally reformed, deformities may occur reducing mobility. Artificial hips will ensure that deformities are corrected and resulting problems are thus eliminated.

Return to normal activities: This is possibly one of the primary advantages of this surgery, although it entails a long recovery period. However, most patients can get back to their normal activities and are able to resume a pain free life.

Ability to have painless sleep: Many people who suffer from hip displacements or bone deformities are not able to sleep properly due to pain. After the surgery and the recovery period, they can return to normal functions and habits, thus are able to sleep properly.

Leg strength increase: Many patients tend to have an increase in their leg strength as one side of the hip tends to become very weak due to bone problems before surgery. After surgery and recovery, the same side tends to have an increased strength due to the implant.

In most cases a lifelong solution to hip problems: As the hip replacement prosthesis is made out of metal and if the operation is successful, it usually tends to last till the end of a person's life and this area usually doesn't tend to have problems again. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.